Pretending?
by DauntlessErudite29
Summary: Roger thinks that Jack could overthrow the government, and he has an idea of how to do it - get Ralph to fall in love with Jack so that it would be easier to gain power over him. But what will happen when Jack starts to fall in love with Ralph for real? Jack/Ralph pairing. Warnings and everything inside
1. Chapter 1

**Title: Pretending?**

**Summary: Roger thinks that Jack could overthrow the government, and he has an idea of how to do it - get Ralph to fall in love with Jack so that it would be easier to gain power over him. But what will happen when Jack starts to fall in love with Ralph for real? **

**Rated: T**

**Genre(s): Romance, Friendship, Suspensr, Drama**

**Pairing(s): Jack/Ralph (Jalph)**

**Warning(s): None that I can think of **

* * *

_I been livin' with devils and angels, angels, angel_

_Realize you and I are in the same boat, same boat, yeah_

_Kills me how you love me, then you_

_Cut me down, I do the same_

_We been living like angels and devils, devils_

\- Ariana Grande, "Why Try"

* * *

After a long day of hunting, Jack headed towards the bathing pool, exhausted and sweaty. They hadn't caught a single pig, and it was frustrating, especially with Ralph yelling at everyone without a break. Part of Jack was embarrassed that he had let the fire go out, but he was a hunter. That wasn't his problem. Ralph could very well get another group of boys to look after the fire-

"Hey, Jack."

Roger stopped Jack as they approached the line between the beach and the forest. "What do you want?" Jack snapped.

"I think you would make a better chief than Ralph," Roger informed him. "I know you could take him down."

"How?" Jack asked.

"Well, it'd be easy without the idea I've got - he yells at everyone constantly." At least _someone_ agreed with Jack. "But I think this will help you."

"What's your idea?" Jack said curiously.

Roger looked around and leaned in close to Jack's ear. "Make Ralph fall in love with you."

The idea startled Jack. "Make him fall in love with me?" Jack repeated.

"It's easy," Roger said. "I can give you a few tips if you need some." He smirked and whispered in Jack's ear. "Kissing him would help."

"But...but..."

"What?"

"Ralph and I - we're both boys!" Jack exclaimed. "Do people even-"

"There were these boys in my class, back home," Roger said. "They were together. I think it's okay."

Jack nodded, contemplating this idea. This was going to be hard.

* * *

Ralph watched Jack from the bathing pool as the leader of the hunters approached. "Long day at, er, _work_?" Emphasis on the word "work". "Did you hunters actually kill any pigs?"

Jack rolled his eyes as he stripped out of his clothes and jumped in the warm water, splashing Ralph. He grinned and swam over to the boy - closer than they normally did. "No."

"Did you let them get away like the first one?"

"No!" Jack exclaimed, blushing. He was never going to live that down. "Listen, Ralph, I have to tell you something." Jack wasn't good at this. He swam closer to Ralph in the water, finding it strange being that close to someone else. Ralph's blue eyes widened as he stared at Jack and their gazes met. "I, er...I've had these feelings...for you...pleasedon'tkillme." He cringed away from Ralph, who pulled him close.

"You stupid idiot."

Ralph's mouth was on his own then, their bodies pressed tightly together. It was the first time Jack had ever kissed anyone, and it was weird, but almost in a good way? It was definitely new.

The fair haired boy groaned and pressed him against the side of the pool, the warm water sloshing around them as the sky darkened outside. Jack, getting used to the kissing, pressed his mouth harder against Ralph's. Ralph moaned loudly then, gripping Jack's waist.

"What is going on here?"

Jack and Ralph instantly broke apart to find Piggy gawking at them. "We - we-" Ralph stammered.

"Are completely in love with each other?" Piggy suggested. "I know. I knew before you did."

That didn't make sense, because Jack wasn't actually in love with Ralph. He wondered if Piggy was referencing just Ralph's feelings. Probably.

"Have fun, lovebirds!" Piggy turned and left them alone in the bathing pool

Ralph looked at Jack. "What are we going to tell people about us?"

_Anything, as long as I become chief._ "Fatty's probably already told everyone by now."

The fair haired boy's eyes glittered with love. He pulled Jack close. "I'm going to call an assembly," he said. "I want everyone to know you're mine."

* * *

Jack found himself standing with Ralph in front of the boys after the fair haired boy blew into the conch. "You're probably all wondering why Jack is up here with me," Ralph said. He looked at Jack, blue eyes full of confidence and love. Confidence. Arrogance. That was something Jack admired. He and Ralph shared that. But if they were going to survive, they needed a new strategy and a new chief.

Ralph took Jack's hand and Jack forced himself not to stiffen. He felt his face heating up in embarrassment. "Jack and I are together," he said. "I am the chief and he's mine. Anyone who touches him will be punished."

Jack caught Roger's eye in the sea of boys. The black haired boy nodded in approval. Jack knew that Roger and his hunters supported him as chief. He knew he would become chief.

Ralph pulled Jack close and kissed him, full on the mouth in front of everyone, surprising him. "Anyone complains, they will also be punished. Does everyone understand?"

Quick nods from the rest of the boys. Jack tried his best to look happy. He thought of the moment he would become chief and felt the corners of his mouth going up in a smile.

A small hand went up in the crowd and when the conch was handed over to the kid, the littlun said, "Do you love Jack?"

Ralph smiled. "Yes," he said. "Of course I love him."

Jack's heart twisted.

"The assembly is over," Ralph said. "All of you go back to work."

Everyone did and Roger came up to them. "Congratulations," he said, giving Jack a knowing look. "You two are good together." With that, he ran to catch up with his friends.

* * *

**AN: Hope you liked this first chapter! Please review and let me know what you thought. Updates soon :) **


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Thank you all for the faves, follows, and reviews! Sorry it took me so long to update, I had writers block and have been brainstorming ideas for the last week. I hope you all like this next chapter :) **

**Guest: Thank you, I'm glad you like it :) **

**Guest: Thanks! :) Sorry about the long wait but here's an update for you **

**lally: I'm glad you like my writing. I feel that Ralph was arrogant sometimes in the beginning, maybe not as arrogant as Jack, though, and I wanted to show some of that. Thanks for not flaming though **

**Demons of the arch angel: Yes and thank you! :) I love Jalph too and have been kind of obsessing about it haha. And yes, I made Ralph kiss first so it would be somewhat different from the other stories I've read. There will be lots of drama in the future and thank you! I hope you like this next update **

**Advid Follower: I know the feeling haha here's an update for you :) Sorry about the wait **

* * *

A week passed with no major events. Ralph got more shelters built, while Jack kept insisting he teach Ralph how to hunt. Since their first kisses the other day, they had kissed a lot. More than Jack would really care to, especially in front of everyone. But if it meant he could become chief, he would do it. He took notice of Ralph's feelings for him, how they seemed to grow every day. Ralph was so blinded by love, he couldn't see what was right in front of him. And as the days went by, Jack felt something tugging at the edge of his consciousness. Something his parents had taught him-

"What're you thinking about so deeply?" Jack felt a now familiar pair of arms wrap around his waist. He still wasn't used to the closeness of another person, especially in that way, and it was confusing him.

"Nothing," Jack answered. He knew just how to distract Ralph. He turned around in the current chief's arms and kissed him, backing him up against the wall of the shelter. Jack heard an "Ew, kissing, gross" from somewhere, but for some reason, he didn't care.

Jack pulled back to meet Ralph's blue eyes. Ralph was so close...Jack fought the urge to pull away, especially knowing this was wrong.

If Ralph found out...

_No. Think about being chief_, Jack told himself. _This is for the benefit of everyone. We need to survive, and the only way to do that is to take away Ralph's power._

"You're beautiful," Jack said, taking a step forward, closer to Ralph. He could barely meet the boy's eyes. But he did.

Ralph smiled, and Jack's heart sped up. "Not compared to you."

A wall of guilt pressed up against Jack's chest. Jack pushed it aside and said, "Oh, please," before kissing Ralph softly. Ralph whimpered into his mouth, his hands clutching at Jack's waist.

"Jack," a voice said then. Ralph and Jack broke apart to find Roger standing in the doorway of the small shelter. "Hunting time."

Jack kissed Ralph and let the kiss linger, so Ralph would think he was savoring it. "We'll finish this later," Jack called on his way out the door, "so you better wait for me."

Ralph smiled. "I'll always wait for you, Jack Merridew."

* * *

_Two days later_

The woods were quiet. Jack and his hunters crouched behind a row of thick bushes, spears in their hands. It was humid in the forest and Jack wiped sweat off his forehead.

His boyfriend - well, fake boyfriend - of a week and a half knelt beside him. Roger had suggested that Jack take Ralph hunting with them, so that Ralph would think Jack wanted to spend time with him. The fair haired boy leaned forward and gasped when he was pricked by a thorn. "Ouch!"

Jack looked over at him, feeling a twinge of annoyance. "Shhhh," he said. Looking up over the rosebush, Jack saw a pig running by.

"Pig!" one of his hunters, Stiles, cried out. Jack rolled his eyes. Stiles never thought before he acted and then they all got punished for it. So now they had no choice but to attack the pig then.

Jack rushed out from behind the bushes and raised a spear. A spear found its way into the side of the pig, but it wasn't Jack's.

Astonished, the leader of the hunters turned around to find Ralph without a spear. The hunters were gawking at him. Jack realized his own mouth was hanging open, felt his face heating up, and closed his mouth. "Did you-?" Jack felt his eyes widening. "How did you-?"

Ralph looked smug. "So, I can kill a pig on my first day of hunting, but Jack Merridew can't - because he's...what? Scared?"

Jack opened his mouth and then closed it. "The pig got away! I wasn't scared! And you killed this one before I could get it." He felt his face heating up. "Jack Merridew? Scared? Please." The leader of the hunters tried to sound confident. He threw his spear in the pig, which spewed blood, and he couldn't help gagging.

Ralph laughed, and so did a few of Jack's hunters. When Jack blushed even more, Ralph went up to him and said, "Oh, don't be embarrassed, love. It's kind of adorable."

Tomatoes were probably less red than Jack's face by then. Ralph kissed him softly and Jack heard "awwwww"s from his hunters. Jack put his hands on Ralph's hips as the kiss became more intense.

Jack didn't notice the fluttering in his chest that first time.

When they broke apart, they were alone. Jack figured his hunters had given him and Ralph some quality time. So Jack gripped Ralph harder and pushed him against a tree, crushing their lips together. The fair haired boy held onto him, a moan escaping his mouth. Jack felt hot anyway, but with Ralph's body against his, it made the air around them slightly hotter.

_No, Jack_, he told himself. _Chief. Focus on that. You don't really like Ralph. _

Ralph pulled back from Jack's lips and smiled at him. His eyes were filled with lust and Jack wondered what he looked like to Ralph. "Jack, I want..." Ralph took Jack's hand a put it between his legs.

God...Jack felt his eyes widen in surprise. Blushing, Jack forced himself to pull his hand away. "I can't," Jack said. "We can't."

The disappointment in Ralph's blue eyes made Jack's heart lurch. "Why?"

"It's too soon."

"Please," Ralph begged, pulling Jack in for another kiss.

Jack kissed back, but pulled away not long after. "We can't."

"Don't you love me?" Ralph asked him.

Trapped, Jack stammered, "I..." He knew it was bad, knew it was hurting Ralph, but he couldn't make himself lie. He felt something in his heart, something warm, something throbbing with pain.

Ralph glared. "I'm sorry I asked," he said coldly, stalking off.

* * *

**AN: Hope you all liked it! :) Review please and updates soon**


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: I am so, so sorry that it took me so long to update. I've been busy with school and I've had really bad writer's block. But here's the next chapter for you all :) **

**Demons of the arch angel: Hahaha thank you! I'm glad you like my story! It means a lot :) **

**Juana of Castille: Yeah, a lot of the Jalph fanfics I read have Jack as more the dominant one and I wanted to do something different. I didn't know what everyone else would think of it, though, so I'm glad you like it! **

**clairerae: Thank you for the constructive criticism and not flaming. I will try to keep it in mind and I'm glad that you liked it anyway :) **

**Advid Follower: Yep you guessed it! And here's another update for you :) **

**CecilTheSnake: I'm glad you like my story :) Sorry it took so long to update but here's another **

* * *

Ralph sat with his back against a tree and his knees tucked up to his chest, crying into his lap. That stupid, stupid Jack Merridew! Ralph thought angrily as he squeezed tears out of his eyes. Why didn't Jack want him?

Sniffling, the fair-haired boy stood up. _Okay, Ralph_, he told himself. _Get a grip._ You don't need him.

He walked in the forest towards the scar when he almost ran into Simon. "Sorry," Ralph apologized. He was about to leave when Simon stopped him.

"Ralph, wait." The other boy looked back, his eyes bloodshot. "What's wrong? What happened?"

Ralph forced a smile but he was sure it looked more like a grimace. "Jack Merridew's what happened," he informed Simon. "

"I'm sorry," Simon said.

Ralph shook his head. "It's not your fault, Simon. He just...I don't know. He doesn't love me."

"Yes, he does," Simon argued. "I can see it, Ralph. The way he looks at you-"

"Oh, please. He couldn't even tell me he loves me today."

"Maybe he was scared."

"Jack? Scared? Ha." Ralph laughed without humor. "Thanks for trying to make me feel better though."

To Ralph's surprise, Simon hugged Ralph tightly. Ralph hugged him back, not noticing a certain hunter watching him and Simon.

* * *

Jack sighed as he paced the woods alone. The awful feeling would not go away, that feeling that he was a bad person. He hadn't wanted to lie, and by not lying he had hurt Ralph. He tried to accept the fact that he had feelings for Ralph, for real, but he couldn't. He'd had a plan from the start and that fair-haired boy had stolen his heart.

Stupid Ralph.

The leader of the hunters groaned in frustration as he paced faster, about to yank his hair out. "What do I do?" he said aloud, louder than he'd intended.

"You really want to know what to do?" a voice said from behind him. "Tell him the truth."

Jack turned around to face Piggy. "I did, and he hates me now."

"You really don't know anything about love, do you?" Piggy said. He looked around the forest and found a white rose, which he gave to Jack. "Give this flower to him. He'll take it as a sign that you really do care about him, which I know you do. He might forgive you and he might not, and God only knows why but he loves you." Jack was speechless and somewhat offended. With a glare towards Jack, Piggy left Jack alone to his thoughts.

Would the flower really work? Jack didn't know much about love, but knew that he had lost Ralph's love and trust. Struggling to accept his love for Ralph, he paced faster. "Stupid Ralph, stealing my heart like that!" Jack picked up a rock and furiously threw it against a tree, where it made a loud smacking sound. "He deserves better," Jack said to himself, then finally let out his tears.

* * *

Ralph walked through the woods, wiping tears from his eyes. He missed Jack and hated him at the same time. That didn't even make any sense!

Deep into his thoughts, he crashed into Jack. When Ralph looked up, he was startled to see that Jack's eyes were red. "Ralph," Jack said, looking exhausted and nothing like himself at all. "I need to talk to y-"

"Shove it, Merridew," Ralph said angrily, pushing past him.

"Ralph, wait!" The fair haired boy sighed and turned around. Jack came up to him, holding up a white rose. "I'm sorry. The truth is that I haven't been honest with you most of this time about my feelings. I was scared. But I've accepted that I love you, and if you'll be mine, Ralph, I want to start over."

Ralph took the rose. It was beautiful. "Jack..." He hugged the other boy tightly, his arms around his waist. "I knew you had a soft side."

"Squishing me."

"Sorry." Ralph loosened his grip on his love. "I would love to start over, Jack."

Jack smiled.

* * *

**AN: Hope you all liked it! :) Please review and updates soon **


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